A Vampire's Mate, An Angel's Fate
by WhoNightOwl
Summary: The lone survivor of a once powerful vampire clan,Sasuke is determined to restore his family's former glory.After a meeting with a fortune-teller,she insists Sasuke will find the key to his future soon:his bride.Sasuke blows the event off.He returns to his family's village to reclaim what is his;he doesn't expect to find a baby there!(Full summary inside) SasuSaku main, and more!
1. Chapter 1: Prologue

**A Vampire's Mate, An Angel's Fate**

Full summary: The lone survivor of a once powerful vampire clan, Sasuke is determined to restore his family's former glory. After a chance meeting with a fortune-teller,she insists Sasuke will find the key to his future soon:his future bride. Not one to believe in destiny,Sasuke blows the event off. He returns to his family's village in an effort to reclaim what is his;he doesn't expect to find an abandoned baby while he is there!

Knowing instantly she is his "fated one," Sasuke takes her under his wing and raises her with the help of his allies.

As they begin their new life and he finally feels true happiness since his family's massacre, his world is torn apart. Sakura is taken from him.

Sasuke will do anything to get her back, no matter what.

_She's his fated angel, and she is a vampire's mate._

* * *

**Chapter One:**

**Prologue**

_"Now I'm fighting this war since the day of the fall  
And I'm desperately holding on to it all  
But I'm lost  
I'm so damn lost"_

_("Shot in the Dark" by Within Temptation)_

Everyone loved the old sakura tree.

Its blooms promised spring; no more snow, no more cold. As soon as the branches took on a pink hue, everyone would release a collective sigh of relief.

Sasuke especially loved the tree.

He spent many nights under its canopy; it was the perfect meeting place for him and his friends. "Meet us at the secret spot," the children would say; though it was truly no secret they met there every night it was warm enough to do so.

Because of this, it should come as no surprise that the tree is where Sasuke hid the night his parents died.

The night everything changed.

He had tried to save them.

Sasuke woke particularly late that night. He normally always rose as soon as darkness fell, always eager to get his day started by bothering his brother or parents; however, on this night, he had slept longer than usual. After calling for his mother, he was greeted by an eerie silence. Frustrated, like some young children get, he kicked off his sheets in his bed and changed into his clothes; he knew she would scold him if she saw him parading around in his sleep attire.

Even a child as young as Sasuke noticed the thick air filled with the stench of rotting lore: it was the kind of smell that one would never be able to forget, no matter what they did. His pace quickened as he ran through his family's mansion. "MAMA! PAPA! BIG BROTHER!" His screams echoed and bounced off the walls of the old home. The sickening quiet from earlier still followed him.

Normally quick, nimble and agile, Sasuke lost his balance on the old stone stairs. Taking a rough tumble and landing on his hand in an attempt to brace himself, he felt the bone shatter under his weight. He cried out and winced in pain, pulling the hurt limb to his chest and cradling it. It was going to have to wait.

Finally arriving in the great hall of their family mansion, Sasuke balked at the sight. He made a garbled choking noise, unable to find the words for his despair. Twenty feet away were his parents, face down on the cold, stone floor.

He flipped his mother over first. He saw the gaping wound; a giant hole in her chest. He was old enough to listen for a heartbeat, but young enough to not understand a stake to the heart was the end.

No vampire could come back from a thing such as that.

She was beginning to turn to dust in his own hands. He desperately scrapped at the dirt, his little fists grabbing the chunks like lightning, trying to hold on to her as long as he could as silent tears rained from his eyes.

But she turned to dust nonetheless, and he realized in a panic there were others; others who were not yet dust. Others he could save.

Turning to his father, his hope was dashed and erupted in a flame, like paper lit on fire. One moment it was there, and the next, it was gone.

All that remained of his father was a familiar Uchiha tunic, a pair of trousers, and dust.

Somehow, this was his fault. Somehow, he should have saved them.

Reacting on instinct, Sasuke madly dashed out of his home and through the streets. He needed to get to safety. He needed to hide.

He heard a scream in the distance, but he wouldn't stop. He couldn't stop running, running towards the tree just on the outskirts of their family village, right where the clearing turned in a tall wave of woods, blowing silently a short distance.

He passed the homes of his relatives, some distant, others close, as he sprinted. The village was disturbingly quiet for this time of night, when most of the family was awake and beginning the night's business.

Sasuke slid on his uninjured hand and knees haphazardly, slamming against the trunk of the tree. Ignoring the ache in his limbs, he crawled on all fours to the other side of the tree, the side that faced the forest. He hoped the night would offer him coverage, that the trees and overgrowth would be his allies.

If the attacker was one of the Night Lore, it wouldn't matter; he would be seen, and he couldn't hide. They would smell him, sense him. And his life would end.

He wasn't sure how long he sat there, his arms hugging his legs. Terrified he would meet the sun, he anxiously watched the sky with his eyes, while his ears listened for an intruder.

The weight of the night's events soon weighed heavily on Sasuke's mind, and he began to cry. His tears were little at first, but the small whimpers soon turned onto wails. Sasuke lay against the trunk of the sakura tree. "I wish it was all okay," he choked out to himself. "I wish I had someone to save me and make it all better."

"Sasuke."

Sasuke's dark eyes darted upwards and met red ones.

His brother Itachi had found him. Itachi looked down at him, his clothing stained with blood.

Sasuke's face contorted as he wailed, tears escaping his eyes. "Big brother!" He jumped into Itachi's arms. Itachi caught him and hugged him tightly, rubbing his younger brother's back to comfort him.

Itachi pulled away from the embrace and looked at Sasuke, his eyes no longer red. "Good, you're not severely hurt. Come on, we have to move."

Sasuke wiped his eyes furiously with the long sleeve of his shirt. Feeling like he removed most of the tears and therefor his signs of weakness, he asked his brother, "Where are we going?"

Itachi shook his head. "I don't know. Wherever I can land us. Someplace safe, where we can hide for a while."

"Away from the bad thing, big brother?"

Itachi nodded quickly. "Away from the bad thing. Hold my hand, Sasuke."

Sasuke couldn't help but steal one last glance at the sakura tree before settling his hand into his brother's. As they disappeared from the spot, Sasuke stared at the tree, wondering what was to become of him and his last family member.

* * *

**Warnings:**

**Mature content, dark themes, harsh language, minor-character death, some (but rare) OCC-ness (but I hate it, so I try to avoid it), drinking, violence, sexual situations (far down the line), lots of stuff. Yep. RATED M FOR A REASON, FRIENDS!**

**Main pairing: SasuSaku; Others: HinaNaru, and more "cannon" (or as close to cannon as possible... heh) to come as I see fit.  
**

**My version of vampires and "Lore" creatures, with many tweaks added to make it my own, were inspired by Kresley Cole. But there are massive differences.  
**

**This is going to be a LONG story with many chapters, most of them MUCH longer than this.**

* * *

**This idea has been in my head for a while. I'm stuck on my other story, so until I can fix that, please enjoy this one. Ratings are EXTREMELY appreciated; flames... not so much. :/**

**I recommend you listen to Within Temptation's album "The Silent Force" while you read this, as I will quote some of the songs from the album; the music is PERFECT for this story. You can find the link on Youtube.**

**Photo is a free use image from flickr: photos/japanvector/6957437859/  
**

**Also... I own don't anything! I'm just a woman who has loved the Naruto show and SasuSaku for over ten years. ;_;**


	2. Chapter 2: The Feather

**Chapter Two:**

**The Feather**

_"Are you the one?  
The traveler in time who has come  
To heal my wounds to lead me to the sun  
To walk this path with me until the end of time"_

_("Are You The One?" by Sharon den Adel feat. Timo Tolkki)_

* * *

_A century or so later..._

Sasuke stomped on his short cigarette, extinguishing the once burning flame to nothing more than charred dust.

If you were to ask him why he accepted the stick in the first place from the stranger beside him, he would have said it's because he wondered why humans liked it. Was it for the relaxation, flavor, or maybe even cancer? After all, humans could be that stupid sometimes.

To him, the stick of tobacco was none of those things. The taste of tar passed over his tongue as though he never smoked it; sliding down his lungs and disappearing quickly. His body had a way of taking care of toxins.

The stranger guffawed. "Damn, that was fast! You must have lungs of steel!"

Sasuke chuckled. "Yeah, something like that."

The seedy looking man reached into his pocket. "If you smoked it that fast, you must need another. Here, my treat."

He procured another cig and handed it to Sasuke. "Lean over and I'll give ya a light."

Sasuke nodded, stuck the cigarette in his mouth, and leaned. "Thanks, man," he mumbled, the cigarette bouncing between his lips.

As Sasuke began to puff absentmindedly on the white stick, he couldn't help but wonder if the mortal giving him cigarettes had any clue what Sasuke was, or that he was hanging outside a bar for non-humans.

Things had gotten a little heated inside of Steve's Tavern, and Sasuke had taken it upon himself to step out for some fresh, tobacco-ridden air.

Being the young vampire he was, he had not yet developed the skills needed to identify Loreans right away; but he had a fantastic sense of smell, and he could smell the delicious, human blood flowing through the grungy man's veins. He could hear his heart beating, pumping his blood to every nook and cranny of his body. As Sasuke smoked, his eyes caught sight of the man's pulse on his neck.

Maybe Sasuke had a weak moment. Maybe Sasuke, who was still on a high from what he heard in the bar, couldn't help but wonder if Mr. Grunge would be missed by anyone. Maybe he was in the mood to drink something to the quick, to kill, to destroy. Maybe he had forgotten how fresh blood tasted on his tongue, and wondered if Mr. Grunge would satisfy that craving.

But these thoughts were fleeting. They were stupid and illogical, and Sasuke didn't give time to those types of things.

Swallowing one last bout of air from the cigarette, he tossed it on the concrete and ground it into dust with his foot.

"Thanks for the smokes." He nodded towards the grungy man, who smiled widely in return, revealing teeth yellowed from years of smoking.

"No problem!"

Sasuke smirked to himself. If he was going to break the Lore Law and drink blood from an unwilling human, it would be a delectably delicious female, not some guy he met in a dank alley.

The man appeared baffled as Sasuke disappeared into a dark corner of the apparently plane stone wall. He scratched his head, shrugged his shoulders, and lit another cigarette.

* * *

As Sasuke walked back inside the tavern, many eyes turned to face him again as they did earlier; however, he continued to stare straight ahead, his glance never wavering from his allies sitting on stools together at the bar. He had hoped the way he was dressed was intimidating: he wore black pants and shoes that matched his hair. He boldy wore the Uchiha clan's signature style of shirt on top. It was white, close to the color of his near - translucent skin, and featured a high collar with his family's flag symbol on his back. He was proud of his heritage.

He half noted the old, wooden walls of the place; covered in the most random antique memorabilia from human cultures: old movie posters, ads, newspapers, and the like. Apparently, these things fascinated those of the Lore.

Sasuke did not bother to regard the twenty or so people in the dark bar. Most of them sat at tables, possibly choosing to avoid the forgotten young vampire and his motley crew at the bar.

Were-creatures, witches, demons... He could sense their powers, feel the tension they created in the room as if he could cut it with a knife. Yes, ignoring them was best. He needed them to understand that he was back; but they also needed to grasp that he wanted no enemies like his family had in the past.

Only a few minutes ago, the tavern had been alive with chitter chatter and gossip. Sasuke, the last surviving member of the fallen Uchiha clan, had returned.

Of course, few knew about his brother, and he intended to keep it that way.

Along with the general gossip came the lies.

The lies that Sasuke had helped kill his family, though he was only a young child during the genocide attack. The lies that he was weak and not developing fast enough for his age; the lies that he would never recover the former-glory of his clan.

It was enough to piss a man off and want to kill someone.

But Kakashi, Sasuke's friend and mentor, advised Sasuke to stay silent. He didn't need to bring attention to himself by killing others of the Lore. Not only that, but depending on whom he attacked, he could make himself a new set of foes very quickly.

That would go against everything Sasuke had been working for since his clan was decimated over a century before.

Shrugging the anger off and reminding himself of a higher goal, he once again sat between his best friend and Kakashi. He gave a curt nod to the demon bartender, Steve; a beast of a man at 7 feet tall, with tan skin and a dark, short beard. Steve nodded just as curtly in response, keeping his focus on serving the drinks behind his bar.

Kakashi greeted him with his characteristic "Yo" as the younger of the two sighed. "Teme, I was worried you had taken off." Naruto, a blonde, whisker-cheeked werefox had been Sasuke's best friend for some time. Naruto had actually sought Sasuke out after hearing of his whereabouts back when they were young teenagers and still aging. Naruto, family-less and outcasted, thought he could find a friend in the lone Uchiha. He found a friend, alright; but he also found his fiercest competitor.

"Tch. I've got an agenda, dobe." Sasuke sat down as his mentor passed him a tall drink filled with dark liquid.

"It sucks. No, not in the vampire sense. This blood really sucks." Kakashi smiled under his black mask that covered half his face. He had a head full of vibrantly silver hair; a black bandana hid his left eye, keeping one of his greatest secrets safe, leaving only his nose and right eye to be seen by those around him.

"Kakashi, that is a terrible, terrible joke... And anyways, how would you know? You haven't even tasted it yet!" Naruto slowly slurped his drink, which appeared to be some sort of milkshake. After a moment of drinking in silence, Naruto turned back to Kakashi. "You know, we can never afford drinks like this. You aren't even going to drink with us?"

Kakashi shook his head, his eyes crinkling. "Nah, I'll take mine to go."

Naruto frowned. It was a secret game between Sasuke and Naruto to try to convince Kakashi to take off his mask.

Sasuke swallowed a large gulp of his blood and smirked. There was always a sense of mystery surrounding his mentor, who had also come to Sasuke many years ago. A "turned" vampire, Kakashi had been close to the Uchiha family and had known Sasuke since he was a child. Kakashi also hid for some time after the massacre, keeping a low profile before searching for the rumoured last Uchiha.

As the taste of the blood settled on his tongue, Sasuke withheld a scowl. The blood was unpleasant; it lacked freshness and life, everything that made blood delicious.

But Sasuke was a beggar, and beggars couldn't be choosers. He had saved his money in order to restore the Uchiha village, which was going to be a daunting task.

Naruto had suggested they have a drink together this night. Sasuke, still young for a vampire, could not trace yet; tracing was the fast way to travel as a vampire, where one could travel to nearly anywhere they wished, so long as they had been there before. Unfortunately, it was developed with age and maturity. Unable to trace, and Kakashi unable to trace three people at once, they separated often. Kakashi would work on the Uchiha compound while Naruto took up odd jobs in the night-world, trying to earn what little he could to help his brother-in-spirit.

Sasuke, however, had been weak. He was a liability, always in danger. He had to stay hidden, because many in the underworld would love to be the one to eliminate the last of the Uchiha clan. He spent many nights feeling useless, learning random skills while he was locked up, waiting for strength.

Sasuke would never admit it, but he hated what they had been doing for several decades. He was raised in a powerful family surrounded by equally powerful people. He despised relying on Kakashi and Naruto to help him, even if they were his only friends and allies; even if they were the only family he had left...

When they decided as a group it was safe for him to go public, Sasuke felt more than ready... Or was he?

Naruto sighed, staring at the clock on the wall; he eagerly slurped the rest of his milkshake. Unlike Sasuke and Kakashi, he needed food much more often. His metabolism was insanely fast, and he was constantly hungry. His need for food could be a burden on the group, who were already strapped for cash; when Sasuke's clan was decimated, the clan bank accounts were emptied as well.

Naruto absentmindedly watched the clock for a few moments before announcing, "It's going to be daylight in a few hours and we have a long walk; we better leave soon, Teme."

Kakashi, who had been reading a strange little orange book, nodded in agreement. Placing the book back in the pocket of his black jeans, he motioned for Steve.

The imposing man approached them, throwing the towel he was holding over his shoulder. "Yah?"

Kakashi, ever the polite one, crinkled his eyes. "Can I get some blood to go? Just a small cup, please... Hold the ice!"

Steve grimaced, apparently disgusted by the request. "Yah... Youra lucky, you two. Justa 'bout outta blood. Don't stock it often; don't get many vamps through this part these days. But I guess thata going to change, right?" He looked towards Sasuke expectantly.

Sasuke's innate arrogance filled him, ready to boil over and spill from his mouth. But he took a moment and chose his words carefully. "Yes. I am reclaiming my village and land."

Steve looked skeptical. "Youra young. Ain't even got a heartbeat yet. But if you bring more customers this way... Sounds good." He smiled slightly.

Sasuke swallowed the response he wanted to give to the man's insult. He didn't need a damn heartbeat to get anything done. He had spent years in the underbelly of the night, training, preparing, readying himself for these moments when he would take back what was rightfully his. He didn't need a fallen demon to tell him he was disadvantaged; he would prove him wrong.

He would prove them all wrong.

Sensing the tension flowing from Sasuke, Kakashi calmed his companion by slamming him on the back playfully, knocking Sasuke out of his thoughts.

"Oi. Yes. We are going to become regulars. Please keep the place stocked for us! Especially that one over there, in the orange. He eats so much, I sometimes fear I'll wake up and be missing an arm..."

Naruto grit his teeth and hissed at Kakashi, exposing his canines. Kakashi quickly threw his hands up in a surrendered gesture, laughing Naruto's reaction off. He turned to Steve. "Don't mind him; he's usually on a leash, but we thought we'd let him have fun for tonight."

Knowing what was coming in an instant, Sasuke leaned back and crossed his arms.

Naruto jumped up from his seat, his mouth open and a growl boiling deep in his chest. He leaned over Sasuke, claws extended, and took a swipe at Kakashi.

Kakashi quickly traced to Naruto's other side; in a show of strength, he grabbed the werefox by the neck of his orange jacket. Naruto turned around to swipe at Kakashi again. "Take that back asshole! Take it back!"

Steve shook his head. "Youra young are gettin' restless..."

"Oh yeah! Which is why we were just leaving..." He dropped Naruto on his feet and gave him a stern look, hoping the blonde would get the message. "Calm down."

Sasuke echoed Kakashi. "Give it a rest. You can kill him tomorrow." He slid from his stool, leaving a tip for Steve underneath his empty glass.

Kakashi also planted his bill on the bar as Steve handed him a paper cup. "Wanna straw?"

Kakashi shook his head in reply. "No, thank you. Have a good night." He gave his signature wave as he began to usher his brood out the door.

Just before Kakashi could push them through the double wooden doors, a woman called out Sasuke's name.

"Young Lord Sasuke!"

Sasuke looked around, confused, as did his companions. He was surprised when he saw the origin of the light, feminine voice.

In a nearly empty corner of the bar sat a young woman. She wore a azure cloak with its hood down, covering her neck and most of her body. However, she had a striking appearance. Her eyes were a pale jade that was nearly white; her platinum blonde hair tumbled in waves down her back, and was tamed only by a single white feather clip she wore to keep the strands out of her eyes.

Her appearance intrigued Sasuke immediately. He knew she wasn't human, but he couldn't quite put his finger on what this woman was. He kept his face straight and emotionless as he walked towards her, Kakashi and Naruto following his lead.

"Ah, young Lord Sasuke, you are so kind." The woman's voice was airy and fresh. She had jumped from her seat and curtsied for them quickly, not bothering to wait for a returned bow before sitting again. "Tell me, would you like me to tell you your fortune?"

"Hn. I don't believe in that sort of thing." Sasuke's mind was made up as he turned to leave.

Naruto stopped him, grabbing his shoulder. "Teme! Do it! Then I can have my fortune told next by the pretty lady!"

Sasuke scowled. "You're an idiot."

Kakashi leaned towards Sasuke's ear. "Good PR for the weird ones, Sasuke. Do it."

A silent sigh escaped Sasuke's lips. He slowly turned around and sat down at the table with the strange, yet stunning, woman.

"How much is this going to cost, 'mam?"

The pretty blonde shook her head. "Ahhh don't call me that, please. I'm too young for that. I'm Jelique!" She clasped her hands in front of her. Her small digits were covered in white lace, with each nail topped in a light blue coat of polish.

"Hn. Okay, Jelique. How much for a fortune?" Sasuke reached into his pocket and felt the measly few dollars he still possessed. He wondered if the amount of money this woman would want was worth the PR Kakashi was so worried about.

Jelique smiled sweetly. "A fortune for a fortune, could cost a fortune, young Lord Sasuke. But all I ask is... As you come into power, don't forget me... Or what I am about to tell you." Her smile wavered slightly, as if she were biting her lips from inside her mouth.

Sasuke locked his fingers as well, resting his elbows on the table so he could lean against his hands. "Very well. I will remember this night."

She nodded eagerly, her smile returning. She flashed her bright teeth at Sasuke as she procured a bag of white feathers from beside her.

"What the?" Naruto said, confused. "That's weird. What is Sasuke going to do? Make a pillow?"

Jelique giggled. "No, silly! He has to pick a feather out." She eagerly leaned towards Sasuke, her hands holding either side of the clear bag. "Go ahead! But be careful. Don't pick the wrong feather." She winked teasingly at him.

Right away, after sitting down, Sasuke had felt ridiculous and silly. He had no time for childish games and fortunes, for wishes and hopes. However, he now felt a cold chill across his neck as he leaned towards the woman and her bag of magic feathers. He mentally shrugged, noting that this was just a game. It meant nothing.

He felt the cold chill once more as his hand made contact with the soft material. He felt around for a moment, before a feather seemed to catch on his hand. Not wanting to overthink the situation, he pulled the feather out.

Jelique nodded eagerly towards him. "Ah! That looks perfect. Here, let me look at it for you." She opened her palms toward Sasuke, gesturing for him to give her the feather.

Still feeling silly and unsure, Sasuke placed the feather gently into her hands. Jelique gave Sasuke one last reassuring look before she began to exam the feather.

The three men watched intently as Jelique gently caressed the feather, turning it over once or twice, and counting the grooves between each root. A minute passed with total silence before she looked up at Sasuke, her smile somehow brighter than before.

"I have wonderful news," she whispered. "It's not for all to know, though. Please lean closer."

Sasuke cautiously leaned towards the woman, as close as he could comfortably be without violating her space or his. "Ah... they can hear, too," he said, looking over his shoulder to his companions.

Jelique shook her head in agreement; Kakashi and Naruto leaned closer to her as well.

Jelique spoke softly, her light voice barely above a whisper. "Lord Sasuke, you have suffered much."

She paused momentarily, as if waiting for a reaction from Sasuke. When he remained stoic, she continued.

"You have seen and experienced terrible things. But if you remain on the pure path, you will be rewarded." She smiled eagerly again, as if she was bursting to share her find with Sasuke. She turned the feather over again in her hands, her fingers playing with its softness.

Her eyes were bright as she continued. "You're going to meet your future soon. Her skin will be of the sun; her eyes as bright as the grass on a spring day. And on her head, she will wear a crown of cherry blossoms. She'll grow to stand tall over you, her branches protecting you, keeping you safe in her shade."

Sasuke hoped that he was able to hide his surprise. He swallowed a breath, waiting for her to continue.

"But listen closely: there are... others. Others who wish to take her from you. Others who took everything from you once, and as she will become your everything... They will not hesitate to try to take everything again." Her smile had faded, and she looked concerned as well as serious as she relayed this information to Sasuke.

Sasuke released the breath he had been holding, hoping like hell his mentor and the dobe didn't hear him.

"Wait wait wait wait wait!" Of course, Naruto just had to butt in. Sasuke wasn't even sure if the fortune teller was finished. "He'll meet his "future?" What? You mean... HIS BRIDE?!" Naruto's face became a mile long as his mouth fell open. "But he's-! He's young! And stuff. And are you pulling his leg? Don't do that. It's rude." He crossed his arms over his chest defensively.

Jelique nodded. "Yes, his Bride. Like a fresh spring shower, she'll come when you least expect it. Here, Sasuke. This feather is yours. Keep it to remind you that a good day will come. The sun will shine eventually. It can't rain forever."

Sasuke chuckled bitterly. "That day will never come for me, unless I decide I am ready to die. I assume you know vampires can't go out during the day? The sun is the bane of my existence." He gently took the feather from her.

As there fingers met, Jelique held onto his hand for a moment and stared right into his eyes. "Oh, ye of little faith... When the time comes, do not be afraid. Not even the sun can kill a love like you will have."

Sasuke's eyes went wide. He wasn't sure if he liked this woman and her pretty stories or not. They made him nervous... they made him think. Wonder. And hope... which was not how he was used to behaving.

Tucking the feather into his side bag carefully, he stood and bowed towards the woman, who also rose curtsied back. "Thank you for your time, Jelique. I will remember your gift."

As Sasuke turned to leave, Naruto slammed down into the chair Sasuke had sat in. "I WANT MY FORTUNE, DAMMIT! TELL ME ABOUT MY FUTURE WIFE, TOO!"

Jelique sat back down again. "Ah, why not? This is fun! Sir Naruto, the last of the revered red-tail clan. You wish to know your future as well?"

Even Kakashi was surprised by the way the woman addressed the loud man in orange. "Whoa!" Naruto balked. "My reputation precedes me? Huh. Making a name for myself already? Good, good." He smiled arrogantly as he ran a hand through his hair.

Jelique giggled as she picked up her bag of feathers once more. "Please, sir Naruto!"

Naruto confidently stuck his hand in the bag, pulling out a very short feather. He quickly handed it to Jelique with the patience of a small child. "What does it say!? Tell me!"

Jelique turned it over in her hand once. "Hm." She hummed to herself before she placed the feather back into Naruto's hand. She grinned. "You are going to find a beautiful woman, and you're going to be very happy!"

"Huh?" Naruto voiced his disappointment. "Wait a minute. You gave Sasuke like 5 paragraphs, and you give me a sentence?!"

Jelique shrugged. "You're simpler than he is. He needed something complex, something to mull over. Your fortune is straight and to the point, just for you, since you tend to be impatient."

After thinking it over, Naruto nodded in agreement before scratching his chin thoughtfully. "Ha! I can't disagree with that! Good, then. I want to be happy."

As Naruto got up from his seat, ignorant of the woman's curtsy towards him, he shoved the feather in his pocket haphazardly.

Jelique looked eagerly towards Kakashi. "Would you like your fortune told, Kakashi?"

Kakashi bowed respectfully and declined. "No thank you, my lady. I like not knowing what is going to happen. The mystery of it all keeps it interesting."

She bobbed back to him. "Yes, not knowing is good, too. But sometimes... Sometimes, we need to know." She looked towards Sasuke, who was eager to leave. "Lord Sasuke... Protect your future with your life."

Sasuke nodded once more and thanked the woman again. He looked sternly at his companions. "We need to leave. The sun will threaten us soon and I'm tired of making camp in the trees."

Naruto and Kakashi called out their thanks once more to Jelique as they shuffled out the door.

Sasuke got a head start against the other two. His pace was quick. He wanted to get out of this town and make it to his village before sunrise. And the woman had made him feel uneasy with her cryptic messages and promises of true love.

Naruto hurried to catch up with him, Kakashi tracing ahead of Sasuke in order to lead. "Sasuke," Naruto began, avoiding his playful nickname as he was feeling quite serious. "Do you believe anything the pretty woman said? Like, about your bride? And the sun and stuff?"

Sasuke scoffed. "I doubt I will meet my bride anytime soon. That would be wishful thinking. I need to focus on the here and now. One thing at a time."

Naruto grunted in agreement. "But what about the sun?"

Sasuke laughed bitterly again. He may have had sour blood this night. "I will never see that damn ball of light. I would rather die an honorable death than by default because of the daylight."

"Yeah yeah. I don't know. The things she said... It was weird." Naruto played with his feather in his hands as they walked. "I'm going to keep this forever, just in case. What about you?"

"Tch. I was just keeping it so I wouldn't hurt the woman's feelings. I'll toss it when we get to my village."

As Naruto grew quiet with him and walked ahead to bother Kakashi, Sasuke carefully checked his bag's pocket. He let out a small sigh of relief when his fingers touched the soft material of the feather, like silk against his skin.

* * *

**Author's note:**

**WOW! Long chapter is long! Hm, I wonder what adventure(s) await our beloved boys? ;)**

**Reviews help with the creative process, as does constructive criticism! Thank you for reading!  
**


	3. Chapter 3: The Tree

**WARNING: Necessary filler ahead!**

**Chapter Three:**

**The Tree  
**

_"Stand my ground, I won't give in, I won't give up  
No more denying, I got to face it  
Won't close my eyes and hide the truth inside"_

_("Stand My Ground" by Within Temptation)_

* * *

The men made it to the village that night, with only about a half hour to spare. Unable to run due to exhaustion from their travels, the walk from the town outside the village took much longer than it should have. The town had changed so much since Sasuke had been there, back when his family had run nearly all of the businesses; he was grateful to leave.

Although Sasuke had remained silent and stoic as usual, his heart had sunk when they reached the entrance to the village.

The once decorative and beautiful entry gate had been destroyed by the elements and time, the Uchiha family fan faded nearly beyond recognition. He mentally prepared himself, accepting that almost everything in the village would have suffered a similar fate.

Kakashi insisted that they hurry to the home he had been building; Sasuke could inspect everything the next night. Sasuke avoided gazing at his old house, not wanting to struggle with sleeping that night due to nightmares.

Nestled right on the edge of the overgrown woods was a little building that was a muddy yellow. Sasuke remembered that the shack had been built where a guest house used to stand. It had been a place for those who weren't allowed to stay within the village; his family had been very suspicious, and rightfully so.

Kakashi led the group inside, quickly shutting the door behind them and turning the lock. They removed their shoes, tossing them on the dark floor, unsure of where they were landing.

"Is there a light?" Naruto asked, feeling along the wall.

"No electricity yet. The village wasn't designed for that sort of thing, remember?" Kakashi answered. "We'll have to live like cavemen for a while."

A flick of a match was heard as Kakashi lit a large candle lamp. The small room became illuminated.

"If we need anything," he continued, "I made sure to visit all of the businesses in the town so I can get there quickly. We'll have to get you food tomorrow night, Naruto."

Little by little, the room became easier to see as Kakashi lit candles. There was a small bed in one corner of the room, with a kitchenette not far from it. It featured a newer stove and sink. There was a small table with three chairs nearby, and a door that lead to the tiny bathroom that did not yet have running water.

"The candles are for you, Naruto. Our room is underground."

Naruto smiled excitedly. "It'll be like living on my own! Ha! Awesome."

Sasuke rolled his eyes as Kakashi pointed out a small trapdoor in the far corner of the room.

"We'll need to put something over this entrance eventually, so it can be hidden," Kakashi mentioned as he pulled on the hatch. "It's pretty bare down here; don't be too shocked."

Kakashi leapt down into the dark hole.

"Watch out," Sasuke warned before following suit.

Landing on the ground with a thud, he looked around. His night vision was still weak and undeveloped. "Damn, I can't see anything."

"Naruto!" Kakashi yelled, "Bring me one of those candles."

After a few moments, Naruto stuck his head at the top of the hole to the underground room. "Hey! This is cool. Can I like, sleep down here sometime too?"

Kakashi shook his head as he reached upwards for the candle. Naruto carefully handed it to him, aware of the hot wax it was dripping. "We need you to keep guard for us during the day when we're sleeping."

"Blegh." Naruto stuck out his tongue. "You know, I'm tired of being the guard dog... Hey, wait!" Naruto pushed his head further through the hole. "Where am I supposed to go to the bathroom if we don't have running water?!"

"Go outside like other animals do," Sasuke said quickly, smiling.

"Ehhh Teme! Watch your mouth or I'll beat your ass!"

"Try it, Dobe."

"I have before, and I will do it again!"

"Boys!" Kakashi massaged the back of his head. "I really need sleep." He looked up again at Naruto as Sasuke took the candle from him.

While Kakashi began to spout off directions to Naruto, Sasuke looked around. His mentor hadn't been exaggerating; the dirt room was bare and more so resembled a tiny basement storage room. A soft rug covered the earthy floor. There were two cots, each with a single pillow and white blanket. Nearby was a small table at the head of the beds; Sasuke rested his candle there, quickly removing his bag and setting it on the ground near his now claimed cot.

While Naruto was arguing with Kakashi (something about needing food during the day), Sasuke surreptitiously opened his side pocket and looked at the feather the fortune-teller had given him a short time ago. He stared at it for a time, his thoughts racing a million miles an hour.

The words Jelique had used, the things she had said... They left him feeling very uneasy. She had mentioned cherry blossoms... How could she possibly have known about that part of his life? That tree had been so important to him at one point in time. He frowned to himself; there was no way the tree was still alive. Sakura trees had a relatively short lifespan even when compared to humans, though there was a chance one had grown by itself nearby, considering there was no one around to plow over it. He would definitely investigate the spot where the tree had been when he awoke the next night.

"When will you learn I need to eat often, or my abilities weaken?!" Naruto shouted at Kakashi. "How can I protect you two during the day with a growling stomach?!"

Sasuke was futility attempting to tune Naruto out as he removed his over-shirt, revealing a tight, black shirt underneath. The sleeveless shirt revealed chiseled arms and his impressive six pack. He wasn't bulky, but he had a hidden strength beneath his fit, sleek stature.

"Nothing is open right now, Naruto. You'll just have to wait. May I go to sleep now? Or does your highness have more complaints I must attend to?" Kakashi really wanted to sleep. It seemed as if Naruto always had to have the last word.

Naruto looked at Kakashi with daggers. "I WILL be fed as soon as you rise!" With that, Naruto left them and slammed the trap door as he went.

While his companions had been fighting, Sasuke had already crawled into bed. He stared at the dirt ceiling as Kakashi readied for sleep himself. They were used to a lack of privacy, but still attempted to give each other space, even in the most cramped of rooms.

Unfortunately, Naruto did not share this sentiment.

More light pooled into the room as Naruto threw back the trap door once more. "Ehhh it's freezing up here! I need more blankets!"

Sasuke sighed heavily as he sat up, removing the blanket from his cot. "I'll give you this if you promise to shut up and go away." He threw it upward. The light cover was caught by Naruto, who frowned.

"Teme, if I wasn't so tired..." His voice drifted off as the door was shut again, hopefully, for the last time that night.

Sasuke shook his head in irritation as he returned to his spot. He noticed Kakashi was now quite settled, though he still wore his mask. Sasuke could also gather that he was smiling by the crinkle of his eye. Placing his hands behind his head to rest on them, he chuckled. "All this time, and he's still so needy."

"Tch. Some things never change." He settled down once more, gracefully landing on the cot before blowing out the candle between Kakashi and himself.

Not one for formalities or pleasantries, Sasuke began to drift to sleep, ignoring Kakashi's close presence.

Until Kakashi brought him back from the brink of dreamland.

"Maybe I should have gotten my fortune told, too. I've lived a long life. I'd like to settle down sometime."

Sasuke rolled over while also rolling his eyes simultaneously. He was never going to get any sleep at this rate. "Fortune-tellers are con artists. They tell you what you want to hear so you will give them money. It's very possible she told the exact same fortunes to others earlier."

There was a silent beat before Kakashi began, "You say that, but as far as we can tell, she took nothing from us. What little cash I have left is still in my pockets, so it wasn't a pickpocket scheme. Though she could have been a witch and those feathers could be cursed, I didn't get that vibe from her at all. And how did she realize Naruto is a simpleton?"

"Hmph. I don't claim to understand people's motives. But I did as you advised, so it should be left at that."

Kakashi chuckled. "I just want what is best for you."

"And I want to go to sleep. I think we can both get what we want if you stop talking."

Kakashi sighed and said no more.

* * *

Sasuke slept miserably.

Though he wouldn't admit it, he was freezing throughout the day. He found himself constantly waking up due to shivering, regretting that he had so easily given his blanket to Naruto. He hated that he still had his "human" moments: moments that tended to remind him it was a few years yet that he would be at his full power capability.

When Naruto threw open the hatch and announced rather obnoxiously that it was time to get their night started, Sasuke groaned. They had a long night of work ahead of them. There were two things on his mind he would never openly admit: first, he was cold; and secondly, though he was eager to begin the rebuilding process, he was scared to see what had become of his childhood home.

It was all very annoying.

Sasuke shivered as he gathered his things by the candlelight, shamefully admitting to himself there was no way Kakashi could not hear his teeth chattering. He was further embarrassed when Kakashi, who was wearing a short sleeved shirt, silently handed him a black, oversized sweater.

It was just another reminder of his mortality. He vaguely wanted to ask Kakashi when he could expect to be fully changed and no longer have these petty weaknesses to worry about, but his pride kept his mouth shut. Oh yes, his pride often got him into much trouble one way or another.

Hopping out of the hole, he nearly fell backwards when he noticed light pouring in from the only window in the barely two-room shack. Naruto grabbed Sasuke's wrist, catching him. "It's okay. It's all behind the clouds."

Tempted to rip his wrist free of Naruto's grasp, Sasuke mentally stopped himself. Naruto was right; the sun set fast during these late winter months. Any moment and the light would be gone.

A small, reassuring smile crossed Naruto's lips. Sasuke grunted in return as Naruto released his hand.

Kakashi appeared behind them, silent like a panther. "Well. I imagine you're-"

Naruto jumped at Kakashi, his face annoyingly close. "I'M STARVING. YES. YOU IMAGINED RIGHT. I AM HUNGRY. I COULD EAT A WHOLE COW. NOW. AT THIS MOMENT. IS THERE A FARM AROUND HERE?! I WILL EAT A COW. AND ALL THEIR CHICKENS. AND-"

"Please feed it." Sasuke sat down on the floor, careful to avoid the sunlight bleeding through the open window.

Kakashi cocked an eyebrow, one of his only facial features that remained unhidden. "Don't get too settled. You should have a look around."

Sasuke looked at Kakashi incredulously. "I just got up."

"Fancy that. So did I." As Kakashi opened the door, neither him nor Naruto seemed to notice Sasuke flinch. "I'm taking Naruto to the village to get some food and supplies. You may as well have a look around. We'll walk there and trace back."

As they said their temporary goodbyes, Sasuke silently thanked Kakashi. Sasuke was no fool. He knew Kakashi well enough to know what was really going on. Waiting a few minutes for Naruto's whiny voice to become a distant noise, Sasuke gathered all of his willpower and walked outside.

It was just a short walk to everything important to him. A short walk into an area once so loved, now destroyed by looters and the elements.

The setting winter sun cast an eerie glow over the abandoned buildings lining the first street of the village. They were dilapidated. Once budding businesses and bustling homes, the were reduced to rubble. Naturally, some of the foundation remained; however, it appeared some of them had caught fire and burned to the ground. Sasuke swallowed in disgust.

It was pure willpower carrying his feet towards his old mansion. As he continued down what was once the main street, he noted all of the places he had once recognized and cared about: the house of a favored friend, a particularly popular clothing store, and of course the old whorehouse, whose presence he could never quite understand when he was a child.

His legs felt weighted like his thoughts. Could he really restore all of this to its former glory? Could he do it justice?

He smiled inwardly. Of course he could. He was Sasuke Uchiha. The last known Uchiha. Nothing was out of his grasp. Except...

He stood where his mansion once was.

He had, at first, hoped it was a grave mistake. That he was confused; maybe he had forgotten the exact spot, taken a wrong turn. Something like that.

Sasuke audibly choked. Overrun with emotions he rarely felt, he was confused. It was like the pain he felt shook his very soul... if he had one. He wasn't sure.

He wasn't sure about anything anymore, except that his mansion was very much destroyed beyond repair. Generations of Uchiha were born and lived there. Sasuke had held onto a tiny sliver of hope that he would be able to repair the structure somehow, but it was beyond any help.

Was he much different from his mansion? Beyond help, hopeless, rundown and forgotten in a world that continued to go on without its existence?

Sasuke stood there for some time, feeling sorry for himself. He wiped a single silent tear from his face.

Pathetic. This was pathetic. He knew to expect the worst, and yet here he was, overrun with feelings like some common mortal.

After mentally shaking himself, he walked on. This was just another obstacle to power. He had faced many, and he had always triumphed. This would be no different.

Kicking up dirt with his feet, he walked past the pile of rubble that had been his home. He had one more thing he wanted to inspect privately before the others joined him.

The general area where the old sakura tree had been was covered and overgrown. This didn't surprise him in the least. The grass had grown quite tall. Various trees, none of them sakura trees, had appeared and taken over the fertile ground. Sasuke acknowledged the disappointment he felt to himself and prepared to move on, until something caught his eye.

A tree of some sort was in a clearing a short distance away. Recognizing it immediately, Sasuke dashed towards it, confused.

It was his sakura tree. There was no doubt in his mind it was the same tree. His pale, strong hands ran over its trunk, remembering it as if he had only been a child underneath this tree yesterday. A strong feeling of confusion overtook him, and could not help but wonder if he was imagining things.

He had heard of people misremembering things and conjuring ideas from their memories or imaginations; people would sometimes believe these strong feelings to be real when they were not really there. Had he created the tree with his will, so that he would have something left from his past?

He gently touched the place where he had slammed into the tree's trunk the night his family had died. Conjuring unknown strength, probably from adrenaline, a young Sasuke had severely damaged the tree that had been nearing the end of its relatively short life. This was the exact spot he had hit. This was the same tree from more than a mortal lifetime ago.

And yet here it stood, over a century later. If memory served him correctly, it would bloom very soon. This winter had been short and promised an early spring. Yes, it would bloom very, very soon.

His mood had been lifted greatly by the time he had returned to the shack. He was prepared to take on the daunting task up tearing the village down with renewed vigor.

A babbling Naruto, carrying a bag full of junk food, soon appeared with Kakashi right beside him. "...and the price! Did you see the price on that crap?! I should just steal the food. It's Sasuke's anyways, right? I mean, this is all his, right? Right?"

Naruto didn't get the confirmation he wanted. Instead, Sasuke appeared before them both, pulling a cart of equipment behind him.

"You two are slow as fuck..."

He walked between them both, the squeaky cart shadowing him, as he headed towards the nearest building.

Kakashi quickly followed suit while Naruto stood dumbfounded.

"Wait. WAIT. I can eat this first, right? Right?"

* * *

**Author's note:**

**Update: It's been beta'ed! YAY xD.  
**

**I can't even begin to apologize for my very late update. I have been very sick; I had a condition where I couldn't read or be on the computer without getting a massive headache and nausea, it was terrible. And now I leave you guys with filler (but it was necessary!). DON'T WORRY. Sasu/Saku fluff is on the way! I am NOT giving up on this story by any means. I had more to write, but this chapter was getting long. Expect another update very soon!  
**


	4. Chapter 4: The Understanding

**Chapter Four:**

**The Understanding**

_"__Why am I so uptight today?_  
_Paranoia's all I got left_  
_I don't know what stressed me first_  
_Or how the pressure was fed_  
_But I know just what it feels like_  
_To have a voice in the back of my head_"

_("Papercut" by Linkin Park")_

* * *

Sasuke was exhausted.

And dirty.

He had not bothered to try to avoid the mud and grime, but after being dirty for so long, he quickly regretted it.

"We need someone to install plumbing. I'm not a plumber; but I do know they make a lot of money, and that means they are expensive," said Kakashi, shaking his head.

They had just begun their work on demolishing the old village two nights before; but after nearly three full nights of work, they were already exhausted... and dirty. Sitting in a circle, they began to discuss their options on how they were going to get clean. Sasuke remained mostly quiet, letting his companions hash it out.

"I saw an inn by Steve's bar," Naruto began. "Maybe they offer rooms by the hour? It seems like that kind of joint; you know. Shady and stuff. Our kind of place. We could get a room for an hour and all have fast showers... Well, you two can have fast showers. It's going to take me a full 30 minutes to get this muck off!" He blew a raspberry in disgust.

Sasuke rolled his eyes. "Do you think we are made of money? We can't afford that."

"Can we afford not to?" Naruto countered.

"The river is looking like a good option at this point," Kakashi chimed in. As was customary in the past, villages were often built around bodies of water. The Uchiha clan's village was no different; but the water was murky with pollution and Sasuke could only guess what else.

"You couldn't pay me to get in that water..." Naruto shuddered.

"Speaking of paying... We need to come up with a solution for figuring out our finances." Kakashi's tone changed. Naruto lovingly dubbed this side of Kakashi's personality his "serious mode."

"With our current budget, we need a small fortune just to get electricity and plumbing in here. I have money set aside for that. However, it is going to be much more expensive than originally predicted. Sasuke and I will run out of sustenance money in a few weeks. And you, Naruto, are extremely expensive to keep fed." He appeared grave. "We need to be in a position to where we can afford donors."

Naruto shifted uncomfortably. "... You know that creeps me out."

"And you know it's a part of our culture and is an accepted alternative to killing humans. Buying bagged blood is expensive, and donors serve other purposes as well." Kakashi paused for a moment, obviously deep in thought. He sighed. "I'm going to ask if Steve is hiring at the bar."

"Ehhh that lug was a bit of an ass, if you ask me." Naruto crossed his arms. "You are too good for that place. Maybe you could work at the gas station? They're open late. I made sure, just in case I get hungry at night."

"We really need to stick to a place that understands our special... circumstances. Also, he may give us discounts on blood until we can find an alternative," Kakashi continued. "I realize this isn't ideal, but we are not in a position to be picky."

"I'll do it."

Both men turned toward Sasuke, who had remained mostly silent that day. Naruto's mouth was hanging open.

Sasuke scowled. "Don't look at me like that."

"Why would you prefer to do it instead, Sasuke?" Kakashi asked, keeping his tone as neutral as possible.

"It makes the most logical sense. You have all the knowhow with building and such. If you were to work at the bar, I would be in charge of... all this. And Naruto working would cause more problems than necessary. He would scare all of the customers away."

Naruto glared at Sasuke, who glared back.

"Also," After a brief pause, Sasuke continued, "I think making connections in the community is important. If I'm going to lead, I need to let them know I have a presence here."

Kakashi beamed. "I must say, I'm impressed, Sasuke. Well, it's settled then! We will go down there, order drinks, and then you can talk to him while Naruto and I vacate the premise, so to speak."

"Teme needs a bath first. No one wants to hire someone who stinks!" Naruto pinched his nose. "I still say we should look into that room..."

Kakashi sighed again. "I'll trace there and return promptly. Hopefully they are still open and have a vacancy..." Kakashi's voice trailed off as he stood. He disappeared from the room, silent like always.

Sasuke got up, deciding he could do some more work before his mentor returned.

"Sasuke..." Naruto stood as well, and when Sasuke continued walking away, Naruto blocked his path. His eyes were serious. The two of them were nearly the same height, but Sasuke was taller. Naruto was not intimidated.

"We need to get started and moving, dobe," Sasuke tried to walk around him, but Naruto stopped him.

Though the two of them were like brothers, Sasuke did not appreciate being challenged. He knew what Naruto wanted, and he would rather not oblige him.

"Sasuke... Is that tree-"

"I don't know." Sasuke cut him off. It was better than the truth, because Sasuke couldn't explain the truth. How was a tree that has a lifespan of less than 30 years still standing and living after more than century? Sasuke had no explanation, and he didn't want Naruto pestering him with questions he couldn't answer.

"Well, why we don't go look? Then we will know if the pretty lady was batshit crazy or-"

"I'm too busy to look for a tree that probably died a long time ago."

Sasuke brushed past Naruto, leaving him to wonder why Sasuke was always so difficult.

* * *

Kakashi returned and was almost gleeful when he informed Sasuke and Naruto that he had booked a room at the motel. After using his powers of persuasion, the man relented and gave them a great deal. The room was theirs for the rest of the night.

"I told you the inn was a good place to go!" Naruto patted himself on the back.

Kakashi sighed. "It's a motel. There is a difference."

"I don't care," Naruto continued as they walked towards the town. "I'm getting clean! And we are going to eat!"

Naruto proceeded to inform them of all the different food he was going to try. As Kakashi began to remind him that they were broke, Sasuke tuned them out, as he was apt to do.

Unbeknownst to Naruto, he had indeed visited the tree that night, under the guise he was going to gather more supplies. Naruto was too dense to realize what he was doing, and if Kakashi knew, Sasuke silently thanked him for the privacy.

Sasuke's brow furrowed. The tree was about to bloom, but it was happening so fast. The flowers were a "puffy" white, a sure sign that they would be beautiful, pink buds any day; or, possibly, any moment.

Sasuke had always been a man of logical thought. He had goals; he had goals to attain those goals, and so on. He had mentally hardened himself after the genocide of his people; he didn't have room for floaty, questioning thoughts and ideas. But what the women had said a few nights before disturbed him in a way nothing had in recent memory.

It was all too much to be coincidental: the supposed "fortune," the tree that still lived, its flowers blossoming so quickly... Things like this just didn't happen for no apparent reason; at least, not to him. Sasuke had always seen things as black and white, and when presented with grey, it threw him off.

"...Well, fine. Sasuke can bring home food to me everyday. He can say it's for him, then maybe he can get it for free."

"That's not going to fool anyone, Naruto..."

"Maybe he is a food-eating vampire!"

"Food doesn't taste the same to us as it does to you..."

"You just haven't found anything you like yet."

"I assure you, any food, to me, would be like eating dirt... Tasteless, but with an uncomfortable texture..."

"Ew, Kakashi! You've eaten dirt?! That's gross. I would never eat dirt. Unless I dropped my food and it got dirt on it. Then, I might eat the dirt if I couldn't get it off."

Sasuke wished his companion had an off button, but he was in luck: the village was in sight.

"Drop the Lorean talk, Naruto," Sasuke scolded. "We already get enough looks as it is."

"It's midnight. No one is even awake right now, except for the ones like us..."

"Can it."

Naruto grumbled to himself as they approached the motel. Kakashi greeted the man at the desk like an old friend. He paid for the room, handing Sasuke the room key and instructing the two younger men to go to on ahead while he paid.

The room was secluded at the end of a long hallway, and for this, they were silently thankful. It was a modest room with few furnishings: a chair and small desk, a bed with a simple royal blue bedspread, a miniature dining table, and an old TV. Sasuke, having volunteered to carry their belongings, threw his bag on the bed and sat beside it. "Get your stuff out and go first; if you use up all the hot water, I'll kill you."

Naruto narrowed his eyes at him, his baby blue eyes bright. "I'm going to take a long, long, LONG shower. _You_ go first. If you use all the hot water...Then I will kill _you_."

Sasuke huffed as pulled his clothing from the bag. "No promises." He gracefully stood, glaring at Naruto as he walked away and into the bathroom, slamming the door behind him.

As Naruto heard the water in the next room start to run, he wondered what had gotten into Sasuke. He was much more tense and even bitchier than normal, which seemed like a difficult feat to pull off.

Naruto, already filthy, decided to lay on the floor - no sense dirtying a clean bed. He hadn't been sleeping much in an attempt to keep a close eye on the vampires while they slept. He supposed it added to his often-sour mood. Sometimes, he couldn't help himself. He wasn't eating enough, and Sasuke could be such a prick, which added to his frustrations.

He lazily reached an arm up to the bed and pulled down the black bag holding his clean clothing. Exhausted, he was only half paying attention when he unzipped the front pocket and stuck his hand inside.

His brow furrowed in confusion as his hand brushed something soft and fuzzy.

A moment of realization dawned on him, just before he pulled Sasuke's feather from the bag.

Naruto nearly chuckled. _So the bastard has been keeping this, huh?_ Sasuke sure was complicated. Why say he wasn't concerned about something when he was?

Kakashi came in then. After quietly shutting and locking the door, he turned around; but he stopped in his tracks when he saw Naruto on the floor, holding Sasuke's feather.

He sighed. "This would be awkward if the situation didn't involve you, Naruto; but with you, anything is to be expected and anticipated."

"Teme is stressed out." Naruto said. It was more of a statement and less of a question.

Kakashi nodded in agreement as he walked towards Naruto. He sat down beside him, cross-legged. "He feels an immense amount of pressure. His life hasn't been easy."

"None of our lives have been easy. I don't think that's why he's an asshole. He's confused about the stuff he's feeling." Naruto twirled Sasuke's feather in-between his fingers. "He's hanging onto this for a reason. He doesn't believe in luck, or that kind of thing. Something's going on."

Kakashi didn't answer right away. He was silently gathering his thoughts, wondering if he should share what he knew with Naruto. Eventually, after watching Naruto play with the feather in silence, he decided that it was for the good of the group.

"You're right, Naruto."

Naruto paused and set the feather down as he looked up at his mentor.

"For once you admit I can be right!... But right about what?"

Kakashi took the feather in his hands. "There is something going on." He ran his hands against the feather's spine, enjoying its smooth texture.

He sighed before he continued. "That tree is still there, but not only is it still there... It's alive and ready to bloom any time now."

Naruto sat straight up now. "What does this all mean?"

"It means we need to be prepared."

While questions swam around inside of Naruto's head, he wasn't sure which ones were worth asking out loud. He and Kakashi sat there for an unnoticed amount of time, both deep in their own thoughts.

Kakashi broke the silence. "Don't say anything to Sasuke. He needs to think we don't know."

Naruto furrowed his brow again. "Why? Maybe he needs to know we're in this with him, whatever it is that's freaking him out, and-"

"I can tell you right now, that's a mistake. Sasuke hides his emotions beneath a thick veil of coldness and indifference. You will just provoke his wrath by pointing out you see his weakness." Kakashi waved his hand dismissively. "That's the last thing he needs. What he does need is to believe we know nothing; we need to continue on with our plan as scheduled. That is the best we can do for him right now."

The sound of the shower running ended abruptly. Naruto tore the feather from Kakashi's hand and shoved it back into the side pouch where it belonged. Kakashi raised a brow at the blonde. "You do realize he is not going to run out here naked, right?"

Naruto threw a finger up to his mouth and "shushed" Kakashi. "He'll hear us!" he said in a hurried whisper.

As if on cue, the bathroom door was thrown open. Steam poured from the room, rushing towards the ceiling. A half-naked Sasuke appeared before them, a thin, white towel wrapped around his waist. Moisture covered his body; his hair attempted to defy the water and stick out in the back like usual. He approached Naruto, who grimaced. "You could get dressed in the bathroom like a normal, _decent _person."

Sasuke reached past his friend and grabbed the bag he had brought. "I forgot my fucking underwear. And no one said I was a normal, decent person." As he walked away, he said "I'll be out momentarily."

After the door was shut again, Naruto sighed. "Well, guess I will just get up and get ready to-"

"Dibs."

Kakashi had traced directly beside the bathroom door a few feet away. He leaned against the wall, a signature stance of his.

Naruto narrowed his eyes at his mentor. "Asshole."

* * *

**AN:**

**DON'T HATE ME. It was getting so long again. I needed to cut it off, like if it was in a published book.**

**This hasn't been beta'ed yet! Fixing all that in the next few days (my beta has been super busy, so I'm just posting it instead of waiting).  
**

**Believe it or not, the next chapter should be up sometime tomorrow evening! YAY.  
**


	5. Chapter 5: The Barmaid

**Chapter Five:**

**The Barmaid  
**

_"Come on in, take a seat. _  
_Tell me how you feel this weak. _  
_Are you cursed? Are you blessed? _  
_Are you still inside the mess?"_

_("I Own You" by Shinedown)_

* * *

It was only a short while later that Sasuke was making his way to the bar.

Kakashi and Naruto had stayed behind at the motel room; both of them had insisted that he had this covered. It was a poor excuse; Sasuke knew they just wanted to enjoy the comfort of the motel room longer. Naruto gave Sasuke a thumb's up as Sasuke slammed the motel room door on them.

The motel and bar were directly next to each other; Sasuke guessed it was because the bar kind of looked like an attachment to the motel, which prevented mortals from asking questions. Once they got curious, they were hard to silence. It was best to prevent them from questioning things in the first place.

It was a quiet evening early in the week. Sasuke was pleased to find the bar nearly empty, save for a few sketchy-looking creatures in the back corner. He was careful to avoid their peering eyes. Although he was unsure of their origins, he smelled a human. A mortal had been here recently, if they weren't still here, possibly hiding. While it piqued his curiosity, he was quick to remind himself that he had business here tonight, and it most certainly didn't involve a mortal.

He approached the bar, though he noticed Steve was missing. Sasuke guessed that the tavern owner must have been in the back somewhere, and that it would be best to wait for his return.

As he reached for a bar stool, it resisted his pull. The chair squeaked loudly as Sasuke dragged it away from its spot against the counter.

It was then that a pretty little brunette popped her head up from behind the bar, startling even Sasuke.

"Ah! You scared me!" She stood and put her hand on her chest, attempting to calm herself. "I thought we were under attack or something! I was just down here, you know, grabbing some stuff to clean, waiting for any customers... I didn't hear you come in. Sorry about that!"

She had doe brown eyes that matched her hair, which fell just past her chin. She wore a simple black top, a skirt that was a pale plum color, and she had a string of seashells resting on her neck. However, Sasuke hardly noticed this, as he was concerned with a much more jarring detail.

His eyes went wide, and he couldn't resist saying the first thing that came to his mind. "You're human."

"Ha ha, yeah." The woman scratched the back of her head. "Crazy, right? Steve has taken me under his... um, tutelage." She smiled sheepishly. "Anyways, what can I get you?"

"Aha. Actually, I'm here to speak to Steve."

The woman grabbed a nearby glass and began to scrub it with a wet rag. "Unfortunately, he won't be here for the rest of the night."

Sasuke raised an eyebrow. "That is kind of a bold move... Leaving a human girl here alone with no one to defend her. Something could happen."

The brunette set down the glass harshly; her lips formed a thin line. "Don't even try to fuck with me. I am a grown woman who is more than capable of handling herself."

Sasuke put his hands up defensively, a move that was very uncharacteristic for him; but he hadn't held a regular conversation with a human female in a long time, so he was rusty. He had obviously forgotten that he needed to tread lightly. If she really was under the care of Steve, he needed this girl on his side if he wanted a job. Realizing his mistake, he apologized.

"I'm not threatening! I was... actually concerned. Do you want me to stay here with you until you close up shop?"

Her features softened as he said this, and she returned to cleaning another glass. "I don't know why, but I believe you. And that is kind of you, but I can defend myself if needed."

"Hm. Well, I'd like a glass of blood, at least."

Now it was her turn to have wide eyes. They brightened with fear. She seemed like she was curious about his choice of drink, but she didn't ask him to extrapolate. "Would you like me to warm it up for you?"

"Yes, please." He was so tempted to flash his fangs at her, just to tease her a bit; but if she really did have an arsenal of weapons hidden behind the bar, he didn't want to find out.

Sasuke watched her walk to a nearby fridge and remove a bag of blood. They were both quiet as she warmed his drink for him. He smirked to himself - it was nearly comical that any fire the woman had was snuffed out when she realized what he was.

Soon after, she placed a warmed glass of blood in front of Sasuke. She turned away quickly in an attempt to get away from him, but he called to her. "Hey, miss!" Sasuke reached into his pocket.

She nearly jumped when he called for her, though she managed to turn back around. "Yeh...yes?"

"Don't you want this?" Sasuke set his money on the counter. "Keep the change as a tip."

She nodded and bowed her head slightly. "Thank you."

As she walked towards the cash register and she began to put the money away, Sasuke became thoughtful. What would a demon want with a cute, unassuming young woman, aside from the disturbing obvious reasons?

It was clear this girl wanted nothing to do with Sasuke. He sipped his drink as he watched her quickly walk away so she could sit as far from him as possible at the other end of the bar. She began to munch on strawberries that were hidden underneath the counter.

This irritated him. He didn't understand why she was so weary of him. She kept company with a demon and interacted with others of the night on a regular basis. Why would she have something against his kind?

She was still nibbling on her snack by the time he was finished.

He decided he needed to show kindness to her. If he left a good impression, she could put in a good word for him to her demon boss. It was going to be nearly painful for him to go out of his way to be nice, but he could do it if it meant he got something in return.

He stared at her as he slid from his stool. She stole a quick glance at him before becoming very focused on what she was putting in her mouth; she chewed furiously, as if she were trying to keep her mouth busy.

Sasuke sighed. This was going to be difficult.

Hoping she wouldn't have time to react, he walked towards her quickly and sat down again, this time directly in front of her. He was close enough to hear her heart racing. She was truly terrified.

"I won't hurt you," he said as he set his empty glass down. "I just want to talk."

She swallowed her food before she looked up at him, though she still avoided his eyes. "How I can I help you?" Her response was forced and nearly robotic.

Sasuke avoided making a face of distaste. "I take it you dislike my kind."

She quickly shook her head back and forth. "No, not at all! I was just hungry, so I came over here to eat."

He didn't believe it for a minute.

He set his elbows on the counter and leaned his face against his hands. "I don't kill humans, so you shouldn't be afraid."

Her eyes focused on him now.

Sasuke was somewhat surprised when she smiled at him. "Hm. That's good to know. We always have plenty of blood here, so you can always come to us when you are hungry."

He smiled back. "Thank you...? What is your name?"

She absentmindedly reached for the seashell necklace around her neck. "Hm. My name is Rin."

He held out a hand. "Sasuke Uchiha."

She hesitantly took his hand in hers. She shook it quickly before returning her hands in her lap to fiddle with her skirt.

A slight glisten of realization crossed over her eyes. "You don't mean... You are from _the _Uchiha family?"

Sasuke crossed his arms. "I am. I am all that remains." At least, as far as anyone outside of his comrades knew.

Rin pursed her lips in a frown of pity. "I... didn't realize that... you're him. I mean, the man Steve told me about. He told me you've moved back to the... place."

Sasuke nodded. "I'm tearing down the old village in order to rebuild it."

"That is a daunting task. How are things going?"

Sasuke shrugged. "I've known I would have to do it for most of my life. It is going well." He neglected to mention that it was taking much longer than he expected it would, and that he was getting very frustrated with the entire situation. He half wanted to just bomb the place to smithereens and begin anew. It would be easier and less time consuming than tearing it down bit by bit.

"That's good to hear." She rested a cheek against her fist. "What are you going to do when that's done?"

"Rebuild my village and my clan."

She scoffed. "Well, yeah. But the in between parts. How do you figure that in?"

He did his best to mask his annoyance. What was this? Twenty Questions? "It is going to take a long time to bring everything down. I imagine we will rebuild it all, one by one."

"Ah." She picked up another strawberry. "So, you have a bunch of people helping you?"

His annoyance was seeping into his words, knocking down any barrier he put up. "No. I don't. It's just me and two other people I consider family."

She blinked, the strawberry not yet to her lips. "Just _three _of you to take down all of _that_?"

He nearly bared his fangs. She had turned from a meek woman to an undesirable chit in mere minutes. "I am not exactly in a position to pay others to help me; and in case you didn't notice, my kind is not exactly popular in the underworld or your world, for that matter. I hardly have droves of beings rushing to aid me in my time of need, even though my clan was one of the most revered vampire clans that has ever existed. Our allies have long abandoned me and my kin. I was out of sight, out of mind, and soon forgotten. Now, I have to fix it myself." He narrowed his eyes at her, daring her to challenge him again.

"What can I do to help?"

Sasuke was nearly floored. "Excuse me?"

Rin set a stray hair behind her ear. "I... heard your story - you know, before you came back. Local gossip. So, I know what happened. It's terrible. It happened a long time ago, and most people would just give up. But you're trying to change things. You're strong. And it sounds like you have a worthy cause. I always try to support worthy causes." She let her lips form another small smile. "I work here a lot, but I would really like to help if I can."

This was what Sasuke wanted. He needed more allies. And though she was annoying, she could prove useful; maybe even entertaining. "You really want to help me?"

"Yes, yes I do."

He forced himself to make a face of desperation. "I really need a job. That is the real reason I came here tonight. I need employment, and I was going to ask Steve if he could help me at all. We are going to run out of money for food and necessities very soon. All of our measly savings have gone to repairing the village..."

She threw a hand up to stop him. "Say no more." She quickly grabbed one of his own hands in hers. Although she visibly shuddered, she had expected it to be very cold, and she recovered quickly. Her eyes were bright when they met his. "I will ask him... No, I won't just ask him. I will make him see things my way! I will do my best, Sasuke."

His knee-jerk reaction was to pull away, but he lingered, and her warmth comforted him in a strange way. He couldn't remember the last time someone he hardly knew was this kind to him. She was a little annoying, but he admired her spirit.

"Thank you, Rin."

"TEME!"

Sasuke had been so absorbed in his conversation with Rin, he hadn't heard the bell above the tavern doors chime. Or the sound of Naruto running towards him, preparing to tackle him.

However, Naruto was thwarted by Kakashi, who grabbed him by his collar. He was barely audible when he whispered in Naruto's ear, "Don't cause a scene!"

"But!"

Kakashi dropped Naruto abruptly after looking past Sasuke.

He was holding hands with a hot babe.

"Well, this is awkward." Kakashi smoothed back his hair with a flirty air. "I see you've been busy, Sasuke."

Sasuke quickly pulled his hand from Rin's grasp. "Don't be a dumbass. We were just talking."

Naruto stood and brushed off the front and back of his pants. "You look awfully suspicious, teme!"

Sasuke shot Naruto a murderous glance as Kakashi nearly glided along the floor towards the woman behind the bar. "And who is this? Show some manners, Sasuke, and introduce us to your beautiful new friend."

Rin visibly blushed as Sasuke held a hand towards her. "This is Rin. She works here." His hand turned towards his comrades. "Rin, this is Kakashi. And the idiot is Naruto."

Kakashi smoothly reached for her hand and kissed the back of it. Sasuke had never seen a woman blush so furiously before. "What a pleasure it is to meet you, Miss Rin."

"Um... um, ah. Um..."

Naruto cut Rin off before she could even form words. "We want a chocolate milkshake and a medium drink-thing of blood. To go. Now... Please."

Rin cautiously removed her hand from Kakashi's grip and reached for her necklace again. "Um..." She looked around at the three men, unsure of who to ask. She settled on Sasuke. "Do you want it warmed?"

"That would be great," Kakashi answered, his eyes crinkling. "Thank you for offering."

Rin looked cautiously at him before she turned to grab their order. Sasuke shot Kakashi a look, and Kakashi, knowing what Sasuke was thinking, shrugged in response. He shouldn't sit around holding hands with hot girls if he didn't want to get caught.

Sasuke took the drinks from her while Kakashi put the money in her palm, letting his fingers linger a little too long for Rin's comfort. "Ah... have a good rest of the night. See you soon, Sasuke?"

"Yes, I'll stop by tomorrow."

She waved as they walked out. Kakashi held the door for Sasuke and then walked on without them, knowing they would follow. Sasuke allowed the door to hit Naruto, who wasn't paying attention. Rin could hear their fighting words for some time after that as they traveled home.

Knowing they would bicker for a while, Kakashi surreptitiously removed his mask and drank his fill before his boys could even realize what had happened.

"Foiled again!" Naruto screamed.

* * *

**A/N:  
**Ahhh!

You know I love you all, but I am an adult with adult responsibilities. I am updating as fast as I can. D:

Please bare with me. Unless I say in a chapter update I'm stopping this story, it will continue on.

I really, REALLY appreciate reviews. I love it when you guys throw out ideas. Seriously: give me some ideas, your thoughts, guess what is going to happen next, whatever... And I just may put it in the story!

Cheers!


	6. Chapter 6: The Baby

**Chapter Six:**

**The Baby**

_"There's just no rhyme or reason  
only this sense of completion  
and in your eyes  
I see the missing pieces  
I'm searching for  
I think I found my way home"_

_("I Knew I Loved You" By Savage Garden)_

* * *

Sasuke scrubbed a dirty dish vigorously.

His apron was soaked. It was as if the water and soap were attacking him, and he was obliged to retaliate with a sponge as his weapon. A stench of rotting food filled the air, forcing him to make a mental note to himself: he needed to invest in nose plugs.

He wiped stray soap suds from his forehead with his wrist as he did his best to hold back a gag.

After adding the clean dish to his pile, he grabbed another disgustingly dirty one. What was wrong with people these days? They ate like animals. Sasuke didn't even want to ponder what was originally on the plate. It was at times like this he was proud to be a well-mannered vampire and not a slob.

He began to second guess his decision to stand in for Kakashi, or even Naruto. He had, unfortunately, assumed that he would be working with customers: meeting people, learning faces and names while simultaneously building his positive reputation.

Sasuke was suspicious when Steve was all too eager to hire him. The burly man was almost excited when he told Sasuke that he had impeccable timing; he was looking for a new employee and was ready to hire on the spot.

When he handed Sasuke gloves and an apron without negotiating a payment rate or plan, Sasuke was uneasy. Rin did her best to reassure him; "Employees get paid nightly, which is great if you need money right away... Unless it's a slow night. Then you may not get paid." Sasuke thanked her for her attempt to make him feel better.

He was positioned back in a little corner hallway that connected the kitchen and bar, out of the way of any people, but unable to see what was going on in either room. Sasuke had never felt loneliness in recent memory, but he was very familiar with boredom.

He had nothing to entertain him but his thoughts, which he tried to silence. They tended to be annoying worries about the situation he was in and the never-ending list if things he needed to do. He tried to clear his mind; he just needed to get through the night.

Suddenly, Sasuke heard a loud crash. Knowing he probably didn't want to deal with whatever the issue was, he ignored it.

"Sasukeeeee!"

He heaved a sigh. Rin and Sasuke had already developed a weird routine: she would call for him, and he would run to her immediately. He knew this meant she had more work for him, probably some random job that he had no interest in doing, like taking care of whatever mess she just made.

Sasuke found his co-worker with a mop in her hand and a large puddle of liquid at her feet. "You can hold off on the dishes for now. I made an oopsie and knocked over a bottle of stinky smelling stuff. Would you mind mopping it up for me while I get another bottle?"

Sasuke kept silent as he took the mop from her and began to scrub. He didn't necessarily hate cleaning. He used to keep a tidy house wherever he and his comrades ended up staying, but cleaning up other's messes was a whole other level of horror.

He was nearly done with his task when he heard a strange voice fill his ears. "I see you are fit and ready to take over the village. You look most intimidating with that mop. Is it your new royal scepter?"

Sasuke froze. A few thoughts flew through his mind: Should he kill this trash where it sat, or should he wait until it left the bar? Then he could taunt and hunt it. That sounded more appealing.

An image of Kakashi chastising him flooded his mind.

Damn his conscience.

He turned around slowly to confront the being. He was far from impressed with what he saw. A man with beady eyes and glasses nursed a beer. He couldn't tell what he was, but he definitely did not feel threatened.

Sasuke's mouth was open, and he nearly spewed a flurry of nasty words at the ugly man, but he was cut off by a pretty voice from behind him.

"Anyone who starts any sort of bullshit in this bar is kicked out and banned. And I'll make sure to slander your name all over the damn world, too."

Rin appeared beside Sasuke, her arms crossed and her lips tight.

The man with glasses blinked. He pulled his drink away from his lips. "Excuse me?"

Rin shook her head in disgust. "I heard what you said. If you want to cause problems, you can just leave."

The man slammed his beer down. "I have no fucking clue what you are talking about! If you'd rather me take me money elsewhere, damn right I will!"

Sasuke watched Rin's face change. This man had a different voice, nothing like what she and Sasuke had heard earlier.

She quickly bowed and tripped over her apologies. "I'm so sorry, I thought... I heard... Someone said something offensive, you were closest, I thought it was you. Please stay. I will even get you another drink. It's on the house, on me." She quickly grabbed another beer from the fridge behind her and placed it in front of the man. "I'm so very sorry! I do hope you come back again." She forced a smile in an attempt to hide her embarrassment.

The man seemed to consider his options before he nodded, pulled the new beer close to him, and mumbled under his breath.

She bowed once more before she grabbed Sasuke's wrist and pulled him towards the back hallway he had been in earlier. Sasuke dropped the mop, which clattered on the ground as they nearly ran away.

When she was sure they wouldn't be overheard, she looked at Sasuke seriously. "Please tell me I didn't just imagine that!" Rin rapidly rubbed her hands over her face, stopping only to focus on her eyes. "Please tell me I'm not going nuts!"

Sasuke grabbed her hands and threw them to her sides. "Stop doing that. It looks painful."

"Ugh! I'm just, you know, embarrassed!"

"I heard it, too. I was about to kill him. It's a good thing you stepped in."

"You did?" She sighed dramatically, throwing a hand to her chest like she was apt to do. Sasuke wasn't sure if it was a charming or annoying quality. "Thank goodness. I nearly lost it, too. Who said it then?"

Sasuke shrugged. "Someone with a death wish."

She frowned. "Don't talk like that. You don't seem like that kind of boy."

He scowled in return. "I'm am more than a lifetime your senior."

Red embarrassment returned to her face. "Oh... Sorry. I keep forgetting... That that's possible. You look so young."

Sasuke cocked an eyebrow. "How the hell did you end up in a place like this? It seems like these things keep blindsiding you."

Rin looked uncomfortable as she absentmindedly reached for her necklace again. "I would rather not say right now."

Sasuke nearly rolled his eyes.

"Listen," she said as she looked at her wristwatch. "You should probably leave now. It's a few minutes until the start of the hour. I can get your pay and you can go home."

"I don't care if I leave now or later."

"I imagine you want to leave before the sun rises and you bake like a cookie in an oven, right?" She smiled her genuine smile.

"Fine." He turned towards the cash register. "I'll leave after you pay me."

She brushed past him; she was relieved to see the man she had accused earlier had left, and pleased she didn't have to relive that embarrassment.

Sasuke soon joined her at the cash register. She began to add up his earnings, her mouth mumbling the numbers as she counted. She folded the small wad and handed it to Sasuke. "Don't spend it all in one place, now!" She winked at him.

"I hope I don't disappoint you when I give this all to the same plumber when they install our plumbing," Sasuke replied, a failed attempt to tease her back.

Her eyes softened, and she appeared almost sad. "You don't have plumbing?"

Sasuke shoved the money into his pocket. "Does that really surprise you?"

Rin clapped her hands together emphatically. "If you ever need to shower, you can shower at my apartment! I mean it. Please don't hesitate to ask."

Sasuke took a step back. This was a little too friendly for his taste.

"I appreciate your offer, Rin. We should have a bath in the shack soon."

"Shack? You live in a shack?!"

Sasuke rubbed the bridge of his nose. "I'm not sure how this is relevant-"

"That is so sad! Do you need anything? Do you need anything at all? Do you need lamps? Do you have blankets? Oh, what about pillows? I have some you can have!"

"Rin!" Sasuke grabbed her shoulders. He stopped himself from nearly shaking her to her senses. "I... appreciate your offer. I will let you know if we need anything... Thank you."

Rin nodded slowly. "I mean it, Sasuke. My apartment is always open."

Sasuke dropped his arms to his sides. "Thanks." He turned to leave, before her voice stopped him once more.

"Would you like some blood to go? On the house, of course."

"Yes, thank you."

"Also...Are you coming back tomorrow?"

Sasuke sighed. "Do I have a choice?"

Rin readied his drink for him; after heating it in a glass, she poured it into a styrofoam cup. She plopped a straw into the beverage as she handed it to him.

"You always have a choice, but it may not be the best one sometimes, you know? I was just worried you were bored, or something. Anyways, see you tomorrow night."

Rin returned to the cash register as Sasuke walked out, the bells above the bar's entrance doors ringing as he went.

He didn't pay any mind to the strange cloaked creatures in the corner of the bar. Their faces were hidden. They kept close to each other, their voices barely above a whisper.

One of them chuckled lowly. His voice would have been unsettling to anyone who had been listening to him. "You were right, he didn't realize it was you who said those dreadful things earlier."

The other covered figure laughed lightly. "I knew he was too stupid. He is all pride; his head is filled with hot steam and no brain."

"Now now, don't talk that way about our Sasuke." It pointed a playful, gloved finger at his companion. "He is still young."

"I still don't see him as a threat. And I don't see why we are here wasting our time. He is a fucking janitor, not some ruling king."

"You underestimate him."

"And you want him to succeed in some sick way, don't you? Then, you can pull him down to his lowest point imaginable, and make him beg for mercy."

The creature with the gloved hands brought his mug of ale to his face, still hidden from view, and sipped.

"We need to keep an eye on him."

There was silence in the tavern from then on.

Rin turned from her work at the bar and announced the tavern was closing for the night. She was surprised when she realized she was alone. She didn't remember hearing the bells above the door. She was more tired than she thought.

She wiped her hands on her apron and put them on her hips. "Yeah! No shuffling anyone out tonight! Makes my life easier."

* * *

"This is it?!"

Sasuke sat beside Naruto at the tiny table; Sasuke's earnings were laid out on the tabletop, little bits of cash bundled together by Naruto's sorting. Naruto had jumped Sasuke the moment he entered the shack, demanding to count the money.

Kakashi was on the floor reading a book, doing his best to ignore his boys.

"Fuck you, Naruto. _You_ go wash dishes, clean up messes, and cater to disgusting beings with zero manners." Sasuke sipped on his blood, thankful that Rin gave it to him for free. He and Kakashi often went hungry; while it was usually tolerable, it could get dangerous if they went too long without nourishment.

"Well, it's unfair. You should have gotten more."

"It doesn't work that way." Kakashi glanced up from his reading to look at Naruto. "I know you are sheltered, but in the real world, you take what you can get. And, since Steve isn't paying mortal taxes or running an establishment policed by anything, he can do as he wishes. We are just lucky that cute woman got Sasuke hired."

Sasuke glared at his mentor. "She has a name. It's Rin."

"Rin…" Kakashi echoed, before returning to his so-called "literature."

"Hmph." Naruto slid back into his chair and crossed his arms. "I want to sleep."

"Too bad," Sasuke countered. He frowned at his now empty cup before he threw it into the waste basket beside him. "You need to keep watch."

"No one even comes here!" He threw his hands in the air out of frustration, like it would somehow help him prove his point. "I would smell them coming, and I-"

As if on cue, Naruto jumped to his feet, his face attentive towards the door.

Kakashi was by his side at once, his book nowhere in sight. "What is it?"

Sasuke, exhausted, slowly slinked out of his chair to join them.

Naruto sniffed the air before he turned his ears towards the door.

The room was dead silent for a few moments. Naruto slightly relaxed, but he was still ready to pounce at any moment. "Someone… was here."

"Was?" Kakashi held his chin thoughtfully. "I didn't sense anything. Did you, Sasuke?"

Sasuke shook his head. "Nothing."

"Probably just someone passing through," Kakashi concluded. "I imagine people will start to get curious, what with all the work we are doing here, and you working at the bar, Sasuke."

"Crap." Naruto shrugged off his orange and black jacket, revealing a tight black shirt underneath. "Guess I'm not sleeping tonight… Wanderer or not, that was too close for my comfort. I'm going to hang out on your, um, trap door… You know, just in case."

"It's late. Sasuke and I will call it a night. You should sleep a few hours after sunrise, Naruto." Kakashi opened the hatch and jumped into their dirt room. Sasuke soon followed, taking a candle from Naruto after he landed feet first on the hard ground.

They said their goodnights, and Naruto shut the door. Kakashi and Sasuke could hear his weight settling on top of it, protecting them when they were most vulnerable.

Sasuke was thankful for it.

* * *

It was the screams that woke him.

Screams. Crying.

He bolted upright, gasping for air, though he didn't need to breath.

He grabbed his chest. It throbbed beneath him. Was his heart threatening to beat?

When the pain subsided, he heard it again. The screams. The crying.

He haphazardly jumped from his cot, only pausing to grab a black sweater from his pile of clothes.

He leapt through the hole in the ceiling, slamming the door into the ground, its hinges rattling in protest.

Naruto, who never made it to his bed and instead passed out on the floor, jumped up to attention. "What?! What the -" He turned to find Sasuke slipping on his shoes. "Sasuke! What the hell is your problem!?"

Sasuke looked out the window and winced. The sun was just beginning to set.

He turned towards his friend. "I need your winter coat."

Naruto rubbed one of his eyes. "What? Why?"

"Just give me the fucking coat!"

Naruto glared at Sasuke angrily for a moment before turning around to dig through his own clothing stash. After finding what he was searching for, he threw the coat to Sasuke. Sasuke hastily slipped into the coat and pulled the hood over his eyes. As he zipped the jacket up to his chin, he faced Naruto once more. "Did you hear it?"

"Huh? Hear what?"

"I don't know. It was…" Sasuke's voice trailed off before he threw open the door and hung his head, pulling further down on the hood with his hand in an effort to shield himself. The sun would be past the trees soon enough; but he didn't have time to sit around and wait for it.

Sasuke bolted, running faster than he could ever remember while Naruto yelled at him. "You crazy son of a bitch! What is wrong with you?!"

Sasuke ignored him as he ran through the crumbling village. Feeling his hands begin to burn, he turned towards the woods. The trees sheltered him from the light, giving him a moment to think. They stood tall above him, and the rays barely peeked over the tops of the forest ceiling.

He stopped suddenly, nearly toppling over from his own sheer speed. He wasn't even sure where he was going, or what he was running to. It was as if something was calling him; something unseen, something confusing that caused a whirlwind of emotions and pain in his chest.

Then he heard the screams again.

His head twisted around towards the sound. Without hesitation, he began to run again. He barely recognized the fact that he was going back out into the sun; at present, he had bigger concerns than his own demise.

Something important needed him.

He was soon past the place where his old mansion was, back where his family's fancy garden had been; and then into the now overgrown clearing where he had spent so much time as a child with his friends.

He slowed to a near crawl, his mouth agape.

The ancient cherry blossom tree was in full bloom. Flowing pink petals, light and airy as snow, danced in the wind on branches that threatened to hug the ground in their embrace.

Beneath the tree, tucked away close to the trunk, was a crying baby.

Dumbfounded, Sasuke slowly approached the tree. Ever the paranoid one, he was partially worried the child was bait to draw him out. Sensing no one else, he took cover under the tree's forgiving shade.

It was only now he noticed that much of the skin on his hands had burned away, revealing sore, swollen flesh.

The pain was a only a slight annoyance when he reached for infant.

The child's screams hurt his soul. A tenderness that he had never felt before overwhelmed him as he carefully picked up the babe.

The baby was swaddled in a soft green blanket, though it was otherwise nude. Little fists attempted to nudge past the fabric, the tiny being in obvious discomfort. Its eyes were shut tight and wet with tears, and its skin was read with the newness of birth. The child's head was crowned with a tuft of the strangest hair shade he had ever seen - a light pink that matched the cherry blossoms dancing around them.

Sasuke held the baby close to his chest, its head resting near his heart. A petite hand pushed through the blanket, threatening to grab whatever was in its wake. Sasuke's own hand, which was nearly healed, hesitantly reached for the baby's.

It was when they touched that he knew she was his.

His hand dwarfed hers, and he rubbed her palm tenderly with his healed digits. Her fingers wrapped around his reflexively, clinging to him with trust.

Her crying subsided instantly as her bright eyes opened to meet his.

Irises as light as jade blinked while she made a weird gurgling sound, as if she were acknowledging and approving his presence. Sasuke, in turn, stared at her with wonder. He could feel an emotion thrumming through his soul. It was something he had not felt before; something he couldn't describe with words.

For all that had happened recently, for all the uncertainty… None of that mattered now. He knew she was his. His bride.

He held her close to him as he waited for the sun to finish setting. The minutes flew by as he petted her hair and stroked the soft, flushed skin of her cheeks. She was so incredibly precious and perfect to him. He never wanted to let her go.

He was about to return to the shack with her when he heard Naruto shouting his name.

Kakashi soon appeared a good distance away, halting abruptly. Sasuke was sure he was staring in bewilderment.

Naruto arrived beside him, looking quite nearly out of breath and flustered. Sasuke could hear him yelling at Kakashi, wondering why his mentor had stopped. Kakashi, at a loss for words, could only point towards Sasuke where he stood underneath the cherry blossom tree with the baby.

Naruto mouthed "Oh my God" while Kakashi casually walked towards Sasuke. Naruto sprinted to join him, and they were soon both blanketed by the tree's branches.

Naruto wasted no time in attacking Sasuke with questions. His eyes were huge and he was emphatically waving his arms like he had earlier that day, again trying to prove a point. "What. The. Hell?! Where did you get this baby, Sasuke?! Who does it belong to?! Why did you steal someone's kid?!"

Sasuke ignored Naruto as Kakashi reached out towards the bundle he held protectively. His hand gently caressed her short hair, which was soft like feathers on his skin. A calloused finger traced her cheek and chin. The babe attempted to follow his digit with her bright eyes, failing when his hand disappeared back to pet her hair again.

He chuckled lightly. "Well, what's her name, Sasuke?"

Forcing himself to pull his gaze away from her, he told Kakashi her name, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

"Sakura."

* * *

**A/N:**

******This chapter is dedicated to Tiger Priestess: my first reviewer and a very patient, very loyal reader. I always look forward to your reviews and thoughts! Thanks for reading! ^_^**

**Update: story has been edited, but still not beta'ed. I've already started the next chapter but I'm not sure when it will be done.**

I am forever grateful for your patience... and reviews!

I want to address a few questions:

On if Itachi is still alive yet or not: if you go back and carefully reread a few parts, this is mentioned. :) I don't want to spoil the story, but trust me... It's going to be good!

On Rin's importance... I'm really, really liking Rin. You are going to see a lot more of her. She died way too fast in the manga/anime, so let's hope she sticks around, yeah?

I am falling for these characters. Hard.

Here's to more chapters soon! Have a good week!


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